


Ink and flowers

by Quecksilver_Eyes



Category: Chronicles of Narnia (Movies), Chronicles of Narnia - All Media Types, Chronicles of Narnia - C. S. Lewis
Genre: M/M, eustace is not a coward, the guy running the tattoo shop across the street is just really fucking pretty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-24
Updated: 2017-12-24
Packaged: 2019-02-19 13:29:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 653
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13124718
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Quecksilver_Eyes/pseuds/Quecksilver_Eyes
Summary: Eustace Clarence Scrubb is not a coward. He refuses to be. But he is also not going to face the newly opened tattoo shop across the street and it is not because of the staff, thank you very much, Edmund.





	Ink and flowers

Eustace Clarence Scrubb is not a coward. He refuses to be. But he is also not going to face the newly opened tattoo shop across the street and it is not because of the staff, thank you very much, Edmund. 

His cousin has been teasing him ever since the shop opened and he had couriously watched the owner put up the sign that read ‘Telmar Tattoos‘ - an odd name for a tattoo shop since to Eustace’ knowledge there was no such thing as Telmar but he could appreciate the alliteration. When th owner turned around and smiled at him, Eustace almost dropped the bouquet he was working on. Unfortunately, Edmund was there to witness his demise, hence his current situation.

“There once was a boy called Eustace and he had books full of excuses that were useless“, Edmund calls from across the shop and Lucy giggles. “He’s not going to eat you, Eust“, she says and he shrugs. “Unless you’re into it“, Susan says from behind him and he rolls his eyes. “Very funny, Su.“

She smiles. “What’s the worst that could happen?“  
“I am not taking dating advice from you, you have never been rejected in your life.“

The bell rings and they all stop dead in their tracks. “High strung much?“ Peter grins at them and Eustace groans. “Can we change the bloody subject?“  
His oldest cousin shrugs. “Well, if you don’t want to know about the appointment you have in a week to get that tattoo you always wanted, sure.“

“If I don’t want to know about what?“

“Happy birthday, Eust.“ Lucy kisses his cheek.

“Oh no! No! No, no, no, no, there is no way on earth I am going over there to embarass myself!“

“Yes, you are, even if I have to drag you!“ Edmund puts the flower pot down. “Remind me again why we had the glorious idea to make this a family business?“

 

So here Eustace is, a week later, nerves fluttering, twisting his hands as this gorgeous man smiles at him. 

“Your cousin told me you’d like to have your ribs tattooed?“

He swallows. “Erm, yes. I already have one on my arm and one on my upper thigh.“

The tattoo artist - Caspian - laughs. “Oh good, I was afraid you’d be a newbie, ribs are a painful spot to tattoo.“ He turns around and fetches a piece of paper. “So your cousin told me you’d like a few flowers, but I have to confess that I forgot which ones.“ He smiles.

Eustace stares. After Caspian has looked at him expectantly for a while, he coughs and pulls out his phone. “I’d like delphinium, yellow gentian and judas tree“, he says and shows Caspian the corresponding pictures. “So, blue bordering on purple, yellow and pink, huh? Alright, I’m gonna sketch up a design.“

 

After they managed to get the design down - a task that took a good half hour because Eustace wanted more detail than he had skin and Caspian had to keep reminding him of that - Eustace takes off his hoodie and lies down so Caspian can easily reach his skin.

“So, any particular reason for this tattoo or do you just like how the flowers look?“

“Er, no, they mean haughtiness, ingratitude and disbelief.“

Caspian pulls at Eustace’ skin. “That’s one nasty bouquet.“ He laughs. “Why those meanings?“

“They’re a reminder.“ Eustace hisses as Caspian starts tattooing in earnest. “I was an ass and I never want to be again.“ 

Caspian hums. “You run the flower shop right across the street, right?“

Eustace nods. “Yeah, I opened it about two years ago and managed to rope my cousins into working for me.“  
“Ah, the good old nepotism.“ 

Eustace giggles.

 

And if he walks out of the shop, three hours after, sides hurting, a phone number in his back pocket, well, now he can prove to Edmund that he is not, in fact, a coward.


End file.
